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Guideline for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals in Iran

Lab Animal volume 50, pages 303–305 (2021)Cite this article

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Laboratory animals are currently an inseparable part of biomedical research, testing, production of biological materials, and some educational activities. Article 21 of the Declaration of Helsinki1 requires that “medical research involving human subjects must conform to generally accepted scientific principles, […] and as appropriate, animal experimentation”. However, most laboratory animals have a high level of sentience due to their well-developed central nervous system and this causes an ethical dilemma: animal use is currently a cornerstone for many important scientific activities, while using animals in science could potentially cause distress to them. In this regard, the human conscience, philosophical views, religious beliefs, public pressure, and common sense often question the concept of laboratory animal use. On the other hand, improper use of animals can yield invalid results and mislead the science – thus causing more harm than good. Hence the Declaration of Helsinki, explicitly adds “[…] The welfare of animals used for research must be respected”1.

Therefore, an efficient regulatory framework is required for ensuring that: 1) animals are used only when it is absolutely necessary and no replacements are available; 2) the least possible number of animals that could yield valid results are used; 3) the welfare of animals being used is maintained; and 4) the integrity of science is preserved. It is also essential for this framework to be forward-looking and to encourage alternative methods that are less ethically challenging, and more scientifically reliable.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Professor Reza Malekzadeh, the former Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the Iranian National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research, for their constant support throughout the performance of this project. We would also like to express our deepest appreciation to the members of the expert panels and all other intellectuals who provided us with their insights, knowledge, and expertise for developing this guideline, including (in alphabetical order): Saeed Amanpour, Kiarash Aramesh, Asghar Azizi, Mohammad Mehdi Dehghan, Hannaneh Golshahi, Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard, Seyed Mohammadali Mirsanei, Mina Mobasher, Nariman Mosaffa, Nabiollah Namvar Asl, Reza Omani Samani, Ladan Naz Zahedi, and Kazem Zendehdel. The authors also express their gratitude to all the universities and research centers that contributed to the feedback process; specifically (in alphabetical order): Golestan University of Medical Sciences; Guilan University of Medical Sciences; Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research; Nursing and Midwifery School of Langeroud; Qazvin University of Medical Sciences; Royan Institute; Semnan University of Medical Sciences; Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences; Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences; Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; Tabriz University of Medical Sciences; Tehran University of Medical Sciences; and University of Tehran.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Mohammad Farajli Abbasi, Saeed Farzad-Mohajeri, Asghar Ghasemi, Ehsan Sharif-Paghaleh, Zahra Hatami, Nazila Nikravanfard.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comparative Medicine Group, Preclinical Core Facility, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Siavash Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh

  2. National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

    Siavash Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh, Zahra Hatami & Nazila Nikravanfard

  3. Animal Sciences Lab, Department of Molecular Medicine, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Esmat Mirabzadeh Ardakani

  4. Department of Health Promotion, Health Metrics Research Center, Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

    Jila Sadighi

  5. Professor Emeritus, Small Animal Internal Medicine Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Seyed Javid Aldavood

  6. Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

    Mohammad Farajli Abbasi

  7. Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Saeed Farzad-Mohajeri

  8. Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Saeed Farzad-Mohajeri

  9. Endocrine Physiology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Asghar Ghasemi

  10. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ehsan Sharif-Paghaleh

  11. Preclinical Core Facility (TPCF), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ehsan Sharif-Paghaleh

  12. Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, England

    Ehsan Sharif-Paghaleh

  13. Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Department of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki

Authors
  1. Siavash Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh
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  2. Esmat Mirabzadeh Ardakani
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  3. Jila Sadighi
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  4. Seyed Javid Aldavood
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  5. Mohammad Farajli Abbasi
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  6. Saeed Farzad-Mohajeri
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  7. Asghar Ghasemi
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  8. Ehsan Sharif-Paghaleh
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  9. Zahra Hatami
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  10. Nazila Nikravanfard
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  11. Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Siavash Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh, Esmat Mirabzadeh Ardakani or Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki.

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Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. At the time of performing this project, Dr Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki was the secretary of the Iranian National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research (INCEBR) and Dr Siavash Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh was the consultant to INCEBR. Dr Zahra Hatami and Dr Nazila Nikravanfard were the expert members to INCEBR.

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Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh, S., Mirabzadeh Ardakani, E., Sadighi, J. et al. Guideline for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals in Iran. Lab Anim 50, 303–305 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-021-00871-3

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